That's Gangsta.....I Guess

What's gangsta? Killing someone? TV & radio images? That's gangsta?..... I guess

"Don't even talk about guns! The only Nine you got, 

                             is a five dollar bill with four ones!"

                                                         Canibus, "Patriots" 

 

 

THAT'S GANGSTA!....

     .....I GUESS

 

by    Bridgey "O.G. Bobby Johnson" Crewe

 

THAT'S GANGSTA, I GUESS

Your whole chest, left in a mess

      Or your n***a bout to confess, you're under arrest

                            And that's O.G. Triple O.G. homie

You's a clown, you gave the prosecution reason to proceed

                               Sold weed back in '03 and got 2 years of Pro B

Then found a big homie to go see

He "Upgraded You" like Knowles B.,

he thinks you can peddle heroin to the streets

 

AND THAT'S GANGSTA, I GUESS

 

Grandmama dying from stress

Believed every word you said til reality sets

and now her whole check is gone, man

                          right to the bondsman

And you promising not to do it again

 

BUT THAT'S BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!

You too "gangsta" to quit!

You rather "Die tryin' to Get Rich"

 

AND THAT'S GANGSTA, I GUESS

 

"I rest my case!" says the D.A., paid to put you to waste

 

As you cover your face

 

With your new suit, locked in chains, the b***h in you?

Tuck that s**t away kid, you headed upstate

 

AND THAT'S SOOOOOO GANGSTA,

I suppose

 

You shot a man just for, stepping on your toes?

Couldn't let that s**t slide cause the streets watching

Now the C.O. watching you in the shower, while you're washing!!!

You're too gangsta for your " Stop Snitchin' " shirt

Til the cops interrogate your boys and they do you like Michael Vick and it hurts

Super Thug Thug, pushing the drug drugs

until you're shot dead or a "shot" that's a Mug, Mug

 

(singing) To the left, to the left...Everything in your pockets in the package TO THE LEFT!

 

Fingerprints are next, then a cell, you're a mess

And your hood doing what they were before your arrest and/or your death

 

And that's Gangsta..............

I guess

 

Author's Note

So I'm watching Scarface with my 18 year old cousin and his friend when Tony killed Manolo. My cousin and his friend start screaming "That's gangsta nigga!" "That's gangsta!!" I'm tickled by his perception. I know that it's primarily a youth thing, but in a lot of cases, young men(black, white, whoever) get caught up in the life. And without going into what I've been through and have seen where I'm from, maybe I'm just getting older, but today, if that's "gangsta", I guess....

Reviews

[Lalli]

Bro!!! this is POWERFUL!
PREACH ON--SPEAK THE TRUTH... EXPOSE THE SIMPLE MINDED CONTROLLED BY PRIDE

I understand this to the fullest.
being an ex-herb pusher for many years, until i was sold up the river as well and sentenced 6 months county time.

That was actually an expression i heard CONSTANTLY , "Thats Gangsta!"
God forbid, we be ourselves instead of worrying about what other people think.
God forbid, we realize the pain that being "Gangsta" really causes.

This is an EXCELLENT piece my friend, hit hard.... speaks true on SO MANY LEVELS... keep up the good work

much love n' respect

-Lalli

[TheReal]

Very enjoyable... Powerful piece. Reminds me of the power that I write with.

[Fairy Tales]

I love your expressive creativity. and certainty for the word is Gangsta

[An owl on the moon]

Saw you on and just had to swing by to read! This piece is so powerful, filled with your verbal artistry and evocative expressions. Amazing!!! Hoping all is going well with your book!

[Jolyrose]

Okay, I'm with you Bridgey. Not only did you wreck with your flow, you completely tore down the bitchass with your words. Snaps, boo.

[Bennett Logan]

You capture the futility so very well. Good stuff, man.

[sisyqueen2008]

people should give out this poem to "gangsters" so they could get some common sense!! great write!

[sheerpoetry]

i agree 110 % brotha. you tellem

[DuCeZ]

Diz goes hella hard boo boo..itz powerful and o so tru..
u killed it on diz one!

[perfectlymetiKulous]

There is something to be said for observing what we idolize as youth, and how we view it now as adults. I can't tell you how many young men love/idolize Tony Montana and Scarface... but is that any way to live? Hell, I love the Godfather/Sopranos/Goodfellas... all those gangster movies, but I think it's high time we address the cold hard reality of that life -- it's never going to be as glamorous as the movies make it. I love this poem because it does exactly that - address the realities. Brilliant as usual.

[M. View]

Yo I'm feeling this cause whats gangsta to some is not gangsta to others. this was a great write B.